284 C. M. CHILD. 



cytoplasm which stains less deeply than other parts. They 

 appear as if division had recently occurred and cytoplasm had 

 begun to form on the adjoining surfaces. If it were not for 

 certain preconceived ideas concerning the method of cell division, 

 I think no one would hesitate to regard such a case as a very 

 strong indication I do not say proof of direct division. 



In Fig. 5 the apparent division of a small nucleus is shown. 

 The membrane between the two parts is more delicate than the 

 rest. The position of the two "nucleoli" is important. They 

 are close to the separating membrane and directly opposite each 

 other. This position is of very frequent occurrence in such 

 cases, far too frequent I believe, to be the result of chance. It 

 suggests very strongly that division of the nucleoli may occur 

 in many cases. 



Fig. 6 is a case of apparent "endogenous" division. Richards 

 (p. 14) was unable to find anything of this kind in the material. 

 I found a number of such cases in his slides. 



Figs. 7 and 8 show cases in which the two halves of a nucleus 

 are slightly different in color, a phenomenon of not infrequent 

 occurrence, which Richards also failed to observe. I do not 

 know, of course, that such a condition indicates division, but 

 I regard it as highly suggestive in that it certainly indicates some 

 difference in condition in the two parts of the nuclei and a certain 

 degree of independence of each other. 



Figures of this sort might be multiplied indefinitely from 

 Richards's slides, but there is no reason for giving others here. 

 My chief object is to show that exactly the same pictures appear 

 in his material as in my own. I am perfectly well au.uc t hat- 

 none of these figures and likewise none of my earlier figures 

 constitute a real demonstration of the occurrence of amitosis, 

 for such a demonstration is impossible in fixed material. 



Numerous similar pictures were found in the early >tav,i-s of 

 the genital ducts, the vitellaria and the parenchyma during the 

 stages when increase in the number of nuclei is occurring in the>e 

 regions. There is, however, no reason for giving figures from 

 these organs, for on the basis of current cytological theory tin- 

 point of chief importance is whether amitosis occurs in the 

 germ cells. If its occurrence is admitted for tln-M- cells, most 



